The present invention relates to a suspension chain head for mechanically assembled sling chain systems, including a suspension member and a connecting member pivotally connected with the suspension member and arranged to hold chains.
Suspension chain heads of this general type are known in the art. A known suspension chain head for mechanically assembled round steel chains has a substantially U-shaped connecting member or shackle. The legs of the connecting member has a relatively great distance therebetween and engage in respective slots in an ear part of a suspension member at both sides of a correspondingly wide central portion. The lateral fork portions of the suspension member are formed relatively weak. The round steel chains pulled around the connecting member must extend in a predetermined application with a spread angle of maximum 120.degree. from the suspension member. For preventing erroneous utilization of such a suspension chain head, the legs and the bracket portion of the U-shaped connecting member are so dimensioned that it is impossible to suspend weaker round steel chains whose link openings have a smaller inner width than the cross section of the bracket. Moreover, a plug with the permissible loading data is provided on the suspension chain head. This, however, does not prevent a user from suspending on the bracket of the connecting member either stronger round steel chains when they have a sufficient inner width, or despite the permissible number of one or two chains to mount three or more chains on the connecting member. This is also true for a known suspension chain head for sling chains, in which the connecting member is substantially omega-shaped.
In addition, in both known suspension chain heads there is a possibility that they can be used, contrary to their predetermined utilization, as a chain connecting element, so that the bracket of the connecting member in extended position of the suspended round steel chains is loaded transverse to its longitudinal axis of symmetry on both its legs so strongly by pulling and bending forces that the ears of the connecting member are pressed against the lateral forked portions of the suspension member and bent outwardly. Also, bending and shearing forces act upon the pivot pin in an unacceptable manner.